


Mercy and Malice

by LeoOtherLands



Series: Sympathy for the Dead [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Feels, Attempt at Humor, Developing Friendships, Enemies to Friends, Gen, I am poor at humor..., Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, My distraction doodle, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, POV Multiple, POV Original Character, Roommates, Slow To Update, Sort of...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeoOtherLands/pseuds/LeoOtherLands
Summary: Kurou is a veteran of the Third War just trying to make a new life for himself. A better one. Ko and Yasu are just trying to START life. Kurou knows what plagues both his young friends, and resolves they can help each other. But... Ko and Yasu aren't exactly typical roommate material. Kurou really, really hopes one of them won't kill the other. And, knowing Ko as well as he does, Kurou's fears of possible death are well justified.
Relationships: Original Non-Binary Character(s) & Original Non-Binary Character(s)
Series: Sympathy for the Dead [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696153
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	1. The Setup

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tridraconeus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tridraconeus/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Marigold Balm](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22298146) by [Tridraconeus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tridraconeus/pseuds/Tridraconeus). 



> Well this is another one for Tridraconeus. And why? Because half of these characters are his, and I give him all the credit for letting me use them! I can claim only Dark and Ko as mine, Kurou and Yasu are very much Tridraconeus's creations and I recommend reading his [Marigold Balm](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605055) series to see more of his characters as he writes them. I can not claim to do them justice as they really are. I always tend to get a sense of a character and then write them as they need to be to get a story from beginning to end. That said, I'm very grateful for the inspiration and indulgence in letting me play with this little tale of mine.

**Kurou**

Maximum the Hormone’s _Zetsubou_ Billy throbbed as a background heartbeat to Dark’s dim, shadow-light, and that was a comfort, even if the song was an angry scream. Though Dark’s catered to the young, Dark herself kept in mind not everyone could take loud music or pulsing lights, so the music stayed ambient and the lights stayed diffuse. Lending the nightclub a mellow surreality. An almost calm, cave-like atmosphere. A thing I appreciated on many levels for more reasons than one. Contessa and my need to have her with me being only a small part of that.

Absently, my hand dropped to scratch Tessa behind the ears, as my eyes went to seek out Dark herself. The object of my attention was some way down the bar, coaxing a drink order from an obviously already sloshed pre-med. Five years and Dark hadn’t changed at all. She, or they, Dark’s pronouns were variant and vastly dependent on her mood, still wore her coal-dark hair in a thick and coiling braid draped down over her flat chest, and her eyes were the same, level, unreadable darkness. But then, though Dark and I had served in the Third Great War together, Dark had been ANBU and I’d only been _jounin_. There was a difference. Dark had earned her name in more ways than I cared to imagine, or she cared to talk about. And when we’d been let out of the service, we’d chosen different ways to deal with the aftereffects of the war. Dark had chosen to start a nightclub and surround herself with young, _living_ things, while I’d gotten myself some therapy and decided to go to med school. Maybe as a way to pay back the medics who’d put my chest and bum leg back together, maybe just as a way to find some peace. Didn’t matter either way.

Tessa nudged her nose into my hand, reacting to my mood shift at the memories of the war. Sighing and letting my eyes drop to the standard poodle sitting at my legs, I stroked her under the chin. It _was_ because of Tessa I was in Dark’s. It was her who had brought me to both my young friends and, ultimately, to this point of trying to get the two of them together.

Running a hand over Tessa’s head, I glanced over at Ko on my right. He sat, absently bobbing his head to the music, his bland, colorless, snub ponytail bouncing with the motion. It shouldn’t have surprised me. _Zetsubou_ Bill was a good fit of a song for the little, wiry ball of muscle and danger sitting so relaxed and prim over his textbook. Ignoring me in favor of the words and the music.

He, or they, Ko’s pronouns being like Dark’s and varying, was not an easy person to get along with. Several years younger than me and coming off as snobbish at the best of times and downright deadly at the worst, I doubted I’d ever have talked to him if it weren’t for Tessa. I’d been sitting, studying on the college lawn, with Tessa sleeping near me, when my service animal had raised her head, came to her feet, and paced over to the compact form of a boy in white. I’d lurched to my feet and followed, favoring my stiff leg. Ko had taken Tessa’s attentions with a tight face and the simple question, “Is she yours?” The words spoken with a dryness and aggravation, which said, _I did not need the reaffirmation my normal state of being is shitty, thank you very much_.

Because Ko understood, of course. He was a sharp and cutting person. He knew why Tessa had dropped her head into his lap. Yet, he’d taken her presence kindly, petting her head and speaking with me when I’d sat down by him. I’d tried to unwind what made Ko tick, naturally. Attempted to find what made him hurt, but Ko wore a mental armor around himself not easily breached. It’d taken months and, finally, opening about some things I’d done in the war to get him to even start trusting me. And a jackass with a knife trying to get my wallet one night, walking home, to get down to the truth of Ko.

Yasu, my other nonbinary youngling, who also identified as he or they varyingly, was different. Tessa had brought me to him on another sunny afternoon for the same reason, but it hadn’t been the same with Yasu. The boy with the cornflower-blue hair had lit up like a miniature sun when Tessa had dropped down unto the grass next to him. He’d cooed at her and shined that bright smile of his down at her and then up at me when I’d limped over. It hurt my heart to have to tell him the truth. That Tessa was a service animal, she could sense sadness, and had reacted to his pain. Yasu’s face had crumbled and then he’d broken down crying.

It’d only taken a couple of days with Yasu before he blurted everything that hurt him out over our textbooks, while he wept in my room.

Yasu was all tender and kind, where Ko was all hard and calculating.

And I was trying to bring the two of them together…

I was certain to regret this.

There were exactly two ways this plan of mine could go, and I had no idea where it would fall. It’d taken me some time to even convince Ko most med students would have a roommate to share expenses with and it would look good if he did. Taken far too much careful wheedling to get him to agree it did _not_ look good the way he was currently living on his own. After that, there had been further convincing to get him to even meet Yasu. Now… well, I was hoping Ko would see how wounded Yasu was and Ko’s natural, almost maternal, protective tendencies would kick in. Ko might be stock and brittle, but he had a mean protective streak. It just took a bit for him to direct it on people. And Yasu… Yasu was a bundle of brightness and happy energy surrounding a sensitive core. They would be good for each other if this setup led to that. But… there was also the possibility Yasu would just end up pissing off Ko and I would get a call telling me to come pick up the body. Not that Ko would likely actually kill Yasu…

I didn’t think.

That wasn’t Ko’s style.

Good grief. I _was_ going to regret this.


	2. The Meeting

**Ko**

The music throbbed a dull undercurrent to the atmosphere of the night club Kurou had chosen for this meeting. There were times I really regretted saving the man from that idiot who thought he knew how to use fifty millimeters of steel. Thought he knew, and fully intended to use, once Kurou had given up his wallet like any good civilian trying not to aggravate an assailant. But as the music pulsed a bloody beat in my ears and I absently bobbed my head in tune to it, supposedly studying my book, but superstitiously watching my companion from under my lashes, while he glanced at me and sighed, doubtless thinking how much he was also going to regret this situation, how I was going to take one look at the person he’d picked out to be my roommate and tell him no, I had to admit those times of regret were oddly few, despite everything.

Kurou was someone I’d taken an unfortunate liking to.

Unfortunately. For us both.

From the first moment Tessa had put her head down on my lap and Kurou had limped over, face pensive and curious, but cautious, it had been hard to dislike him. I’d tried. But the truth of it was we had too much in common. I’d sensed it in the way he’d looked at me, the way he’d moved around me those first few times we interacted. When he’d talked about the war, I’d understood the way underneath it all. And that _way_ had kept me placing a watchful eye on the older man. To the point I’d gotten careless and helped him out of a situation I shouldn’t have.

Which had led us here.

Once Kurou had gotten a good read on me, it became abundantly clear just how he’d earned his military rank. There was no getting out of his so tender clutches.

Well. One way. Kazue had left no illusions about that. But, given our present circumstances, it was obvious I hadn’t taken that way out.

I dared, _risked_ , another look at my fellow med student. A subtle and slight shift of my eyes he didn’t notice. Kurou thought he had a much looser hold on me than he actually did. Imagined I would reject his proposed housemate out of turn. And his wrong assumption had let me put him off for some time, but what he didn’t know was I had no choice in the matter. I’d been out voted.

The instant I’d got him home and situated that night, after his attempted mugging, I’d gone to Kazue. My employer had to know I’d fucked up. Had to know because it would only be a matter of time before my father knew. Kazue was both far kinder and far crueler than my father, though. He’d said fine, he’d clean up my mess, he’d deal with my father, but I had to deal with my _friend_.

One way or another. My choice.

Naturally.

And since the only way I found I could deal with Kurou was to go along with him…

I’d tried begging off the roommate matter with Kazue, pleading to… I didn’t even know what. Maybe merely refuse. But he’d reminded me it had been me who’d let me get myself into this… so.

So.

So, Kurou would have his way. Whoever this person was he’d selected, I had no choice but to accept.

It was more than aggravating. I hated feeling powerless, and it was worse because it was my own fault. I’d made myself powerless to the man.

Kurou just didn’t know it yet. My only comfort. And a too slight one.

Our tense, or, perhaps loaded and heavy were more appropriate words, and silent wait was ended when an inoffensive and rather purposefully showy individual appeared at Kurou’s side. His cornflower-blue hair and half unsure, doe-like smile made him look soft and vulnerable, but the twinkle and glint of metal in his ears hinted he might be tougher than he looked. A man didn’t take a sizable needle through any part of his body without some margin of tolerance.

“Yasu,” Kurou said with some relief and resigned trepidation all at once.

The boy only smiled more at his name. As if recognition, of even the simplest kind, made him brighten and unfurl like a flower. “Hey, Kurou! Is this… ah… Ko?”

Worried and inquisitive eyes turned on me and I could sense he also thought I was going to say no. Was half afraid I would and half afraid of me. And why shouldn’t he be?

Now, reclining back on the bar, my elbows propped on the wood and booted feet planted on the steel base of the stool, cold, colorless gaze locked on his, I must look unfriendly. Unwelcoming, certainly. I had my own metal in one ear, and more of it than him. And ink, too, though that was less apparent, and could only be told by the final fringes of it leaking down over the back of my right hand from under my sleeve. But worse than that, I knew, was the shear fierceness of my tailored attire. I’d known early there was nothing like brilliant white, cut to fit just right and obviously expensive to make someone feel small. Especially, if that someone lacked money.

The delicate boy with the pained eyes turned pensive and let down the moment he fully took me in. He clearly thought my unwavering analysis found him wanting. I supposed I needed to change that. “I’m Ko. And you’re Yasu. Now we’re all here.”

This was the start of a very long and upsetting punishment for a moment of foolishness. I just knew it.

**Author's Note:**

> This salty ball of angst and glitter is an original fiction author and fan fiction writer, who literally lives for comments and reader interaction. Even if this is nothing but inarticulate vowel screams, lol. He exist on a flotilla of social media, separated into a wide array writery things.
> 
> If you are crazy enough to want to see what I'm writing on any given day, and maybe try tempting me into writing something specific, feel free to join me in my personal writing Discord [Midway](https://discord.gg/jsQw96p), or friend me on Discord at LeoOtherland#7066 if you would rather chat one on one.
> 
> On Facebook I can be located on my [author page](https://www.facebook.com/LeoOtherland/) for all things original fiction, or in the [AO3 Armada group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/601270063618951) for all things fan fiction.
> 
> On [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RoseOfOtherLand) or [Tumbler](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/leootherlands) I primarily run with the fan fiction crowd and I seldom post and/or tweet anything, but if you want to drop me a line, I am always up for a chat.


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